Music Therapy in Operating Rooms - Essay Example

The use of music in operating rooms began in the late 1800s in an attempt to save patients from the horror of surgery by having the music played act as a distraction. It was from this precedent that music gained popularity in its application to surgery in operating rooms. In order to understand the impact that playing music in the operating rooms has, there are multiple factors to put into consideration. These include target group of the music, music type, volume, goal and intended effect. With all these factors in mind, we can effectively assess the effect that music has to patients in the operating during surgery. Multiple effects to a patient result from music playback during surgery in the operating room, as it helps him to calm down and yield to the application of anesthesia just before the commencement of surgery. In this case, music tends t calm down normally tense and nervous patients when the use of anesthesia fails. It also works in terms of providing a positive atmosphere for the patient to think positively about the forthcoming surgery and the likely outcomes (Nilsson n.d.). Furthermore, on calming down a patient, it allows the patient to relax by acting as a form of distraction from the fear of undergoing surgery, pain and anxiety. This way, playing music in the operating room helps patients cope with pain and the accompanying feeling of being in a strange environment. These concept works together with the earlier concept of a positive environment. This is because the application of music cuts back on the focus towards other likely events and feelings and directs them to music and its impact. This is rather than focusing on pain, fear and frustration, but more on the healing process and a positive outcome. In addition, the issue of experience, for the patient, comes up in regard to the use of music in surgery. This concerns patient satisfaction during surgery due to anxiety and its interaction with anesthesia. In this case, music eliminates, by a large percentage, any discomfort caused by induction of anesthesia and recovery of the patient during an operation as it. Moreover, since anxiety works adversely on patients during and after an operation, applying music during and before an operation, improves the rate of recovery in a patient and decreases, substantially, the occurrence of pain and delayed recovery after surgery (Arslan et al. 2007). Still on patient experience during surgery, music plays a key role towards improving it, as hearing ability during surgery and under general anesthesia remains active. In this regard, a patient remains conscious of the audio on goings in the operating room environment thus, the use of music drowns out all other sounds (Nilsson, n.d.). This way, the patient is only able to concentrate on music and its positive impact such elation in mood, elimination of anxiety and induction of relaxation. In addition, music and interactions with regional anesthesia work towards the good of the patient in relation to dosage. This is because application of music during surgery lowers the need for sedatives to quell pain and induce sleep. In addition, studies show that playing music in the operating room during surgery displays substantial impact on the consumption of opioid analgesics, in that the dose rate decreases dramatically (Iblher et al. 2011). Music also lowers the amount of cortisol levels in the blood meaning that, in surgery, it reduces the amount of stress in a patient. This occurs by brightening up the patient and soothing offering a pleasurable auditory stimulus. Playing music prior to surgery yield even better result as compared to during and after surgery, thus preference in music playback is before. However, the music used determines the effects in that to lower stress; sedative music is preferred as it has a slow tempo and smooth tempo, thus the effectiveness in lowering anxiety and stress (Arslan et al. 2007). In addition, music plays a crucial role in surgery by influencing the nervous system through entraining body rhythms to decrease the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (Arslan et al. 2007). This is in terms of altering the states of consciousness in a patient and lowering the rate of neuromuscular arousal resulting in reduced heart rate, low oxygen consumption and low blood pressure. It is through this that endorphins are released to block all nature of uncomfortable feelings and emotions leading to efficient and effective surgery on a patient. However, not all effects of music are positive on a patient as music in the operating poses some threats, as well. This is because for some patients with strong self-defense mechanisms, the use of music tends to increase anxiety. This is because of preparedness of an event with ambiguous likely results such as success and failure, and with no guarantee of the most likely result. In addition, the use of music seems to appear to work in only surgeries that take a short while such as a few hours: one to two, rather than those taking more than four hours (Iblher et al. 2011). In addition, the impact of music during surgery on the breathing rate, oxygen saturation or body temperature shows inconsistent results. However, the benefits of playing music in the operating room, for a patient, outweigh the disadvantages by far, as no study has shown harm associated with music in surgery. Effects of Music Being Played in an Operating Room during Surgery Most of the effects of music in the operating room that apply to patients also apply to the surgeons conducting the operation. Surgeons have a unique relationship with music in the operating room. This is in terms of creating an environment that they regard to be comfortable and safe for work. The use of music in surgery creates a familiar environment in which to work as they are already familiar with the outside thus, the need to bring in the outside to the inside. In the above case, this is to mean that, while working on a new patient, there is a difference in familiarity of the environment. This thus creates the need to bring the surgeon to a state of equilibrium with his mental faculties. In turn, the above plays a crucial role in ensuring efficiency and optimal performance of the said surgeon. In addition, the case of music and familiarity reduces stress cortisol levels, affiliated with stress in an individual. Surgeons under stress are also prone to mistakes, which leads to poor quality work and numerous surgical mistakes, as well as poor judgment. The use of music n the operating room plays a vital role in the elimination of these mistakes substantially through creating room for relaxation of the surgeon. It also creates an entertaining mood by elating the emotions and feelings of the surgeon, which eases the tension in the room. As a result, the above creates a harmonious atmosphere among the surgical team thus, enhancing synchronized teamwork; resulting in efficiency. In addition, some surgeons and surgical staff are highly superstitious, in their own way. In this regard, they believe in the use of music to boost their performance in surgery by inviting “good karma”. This works hand in hand in the elimination of anxiety during surgical procedures. In cases of intern surgeons, music plays a role in enhancing learning due to systematic coupling of a procedure with lyrics, tunes and melodies. As a result, a given surgical procedure appears less difficult and memorable with sentimental value. Each operation has a rhythm to be followed and has likelihood to be found in music (Roll 2010). It is from the music that a surgeon gains composure and keeps his or her mind in a positive note. However, not all impacts of playing music in the operating room are positive, as some may be harmful and dangerous. Playing background music depends on the volume level and the noise-music threshold. With the above information in mind, loud music, at unreasonable levels may hinder effective communication among surgical staff. In this case, the surgical team may experience impaired acoustic ability resulting in accidents that have a higher likelihood of aversion. Music may also cloud the surgeon’s judgment resulting in more accidents and a rise in cases professional negligence. Effects of Music Being Played While a Woman Gives Birth Playing music during birth has a profound effect in easing labor pains, which are often severe and come with no indication for the use of analgesics to ease them. In labor, pain increases significantly and may have adverse effects on the psychological status of a woman. This is in the case of blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption and catecholamine levels (Phumdoung and Good 2003). Applying music in the process of giving birth has been found to ease procedural and chronic pains in labor. This is as shown in cases where women who listen to music intermittently during labor experience greater pain relief than those who do not (Phumdoung and Good 2003). Using music works through the gate theory, where music affects brain centers serving attention, cognition, and emotion. These, in turn, activate descending nerve impulses, to close the gate located in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord thus, modulating the experience of pain (Phumdoung and Good 2003). In the above case, music is used to distract and relax the woman giving birth. As a result, music relieves one of pain through distraction. The other impact of playing music during childbirth is that it acts as a mediatory agent between pain, motivation and central control components. In this case, music lowers the sensation of distress and pain. In addition, the music type administered determines the level of pain and its ability to reduce it. This is because some types of music only work to aggravate the sensation of pain. Music during childbirth also affects the breath rate of the mother to be using rhythm. This is as seen in cases where music has a slow, predictable rhythm, which allows the woman to time her breaths in relation to the beats of the music for better supply of oxygen in the body and sufficient oxygen intake. Emotionally, music in giving birth stimulates a large area of the brain that affects memory and feelings. Through this, the brain releases dopamine and endorphins that act the happy hormones, for the body, which ease pain naturally. Music also comforts and provides the woman with a feeling of familiarity, which, in turn, lowers cortisol levels in the bloodstream providing safe contractions during labor (BirthBeats 2011). In addition, some music, through rhythmic repetition, plays a crucial role in eliminating anxiety. This works towards helping one relax by acting as a distraction from other activities and events going on around her. Concerning the heart rate of the child and the women giving birth, music determines, to some extent the heart rate. This is because the normal tempo of music corresponds with that of the heart creating physical and psychological effects (Chang et al. 2008). These are in the form of relaxation and stress reduction resulting to an emotional equilibrium. Music also works affects the use of medication in the process of giving birth. This is about using sedatives and analgesics to curb the pain emanating from labor and contractions. Pain is relieved by listening to music thus, eliminating the need to use medication. It also affects the process of giving birth by interacting with pain and leading to reduced doses of medication required (Iblher et al. 2011). In addition, playing music in while a woman gives birth provides familiarity to the environment and sets the atmosphere. This occurs by creating a homelike environment by blocking out other sounds. In turn, the sound provided by music cuts out, substantially, on all the noise in the background, thus allowing the woman giving birth to own the environment. The above occurs especially when the music played is that which the woman likes. Concerning the heart rate of the child and the women giving birth, music determines, to some extent the heart rate. This is because the normal tempo of music corresponds with that of the heart creating physical and psychological effects (Chang et al. 2008). Music, for women giving birth, has similar effects to those of patients undergoing surgery. This is because for women undergoing caesarian section in high-risk pregnancies, music acts as a powerful anti-stress factor in eliminating anxiety. It also bears a function in enhancing the experience of giving birth by having sentimental value to the woman. This is concerning having the woman attach sentimental value to the song that played during a given episode of childbirth, thus, associating it with the birth of her child. In addition, for the child it introduces a friendly stimulus as an introduction to its new environment. As a result, the child responds rapidly to the audio stimulus in the form of music upon birth. In conclusion, playing music while a woman gives birth has numerous benefits towards easing the birthing process. This is in helping the woman cope with the pain and stress associated with childbirth. References Arslan, Sovran, with Nadiye Özer and Funda Özyurt N.d. Effect of Music on Preoperative Anxiety in Men Undergoing Urogenital Surgery. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING Vol26 Number 2 BirthBeats 2011 Music for Labor and Birth. BIRTHBEATS. http://birthbeats.org/overview.html Accessed September 14, 2012 Chang, Mei-Yueh, with Kuo-Feng Huang and Chung-Hey Chen 2008 Effects Of Music Therapy On Psychological Health Of Women During Pregnancy. Journal of Clinical Nursing. http://www.sonoma.edu/users/k/koshar/n300/Stats_t-test-article.pdf Accessed September 14, 2012 Iblher, P., with H. Mahler, H. Heinze and M. Hüppe K.-F. Klotz and W. Eichler 2011 Does music harm patients after cardiac surgery? A randomized, controlled study. Applied Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology Vol 15: 14-23 Nilsson, Ulrica N.d. Music and Health; How to use music in surgical care. Design & Health. http://www.designandhealth.com/uploaded/documents/Publications/Papers/Ulrica-Nilsson-WCDH-2003.pdf Accessed September 14, 2012 Phumdoung, Sasitorn and Marion Good 2003 Music Reduces Sensation and Distress of Labor Pain. American Society of Pain Management Nurses . Vol 4(2):54-61 Roll, Max 2010 Music in Operating Room Sets the Tone as Surgical Steps Proceed. Courier Press. http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/28/tuned-in/ Accessed September 14, 2012 Read More